


The Neighbour

by chaosruby



Series: The Killing Joke [1]
Category: Joker (2019)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Awkward First Times, Awkwardness, Character Development, Conflicted Reader, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gotham City is Terrible, Jealous Arthur, Joker (DCU) Backstory, Love at First Sight, Obsession, Protective Arthur, Realistic, Shyness, Virgin Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:27:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22805530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosruby/pseuds/chaosruby
Summary: Having only just moved to Gotham, starting life anew, you find yourself standing outside the front door of the flat opposite yours. That single interaction leads to many more, some of which Arthur will never forget.
Relationships: Arthur Fleck/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Fleck/You, Joker (DCU)/Reader, Joker (DCU)/You
Series: The Killing Joke [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1636459
Comments: 17
Kudos: 109





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> decided to make a fic with multiple chapters for arthur fleck, since i love him with all of my heart n stuff
> 
> it will be slow to update but, here y'all are <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You knock on the door opposite, meeting Arthur Fleck for the first time.

Biting your lip nervously, you knocked on the door. The knock ended up being quieter than you had anticipated and thinking that the person who lived there didn't hear you, you lifted your fist to knock again. Before your hand could reach the wood, the door opened a few inches and a man's face came into view. He blinked a few times as he looked at you. You smiled warmly at him.

"Uh, hi," You spoke quietly, waving slightly, "I just moved in opposite you. I came to introduce myself, since you know, I'm your new neighbour and all."

"Hi?" The man replied, almost like a question as to why you were standing outside his door. 

"I'm sorry," You mumbled, rambling on due to your nerves, "I'm new to Gotham and I just thought maybe we could start off on good terms? It's my first night here and the elevator already freaked me out by stopping halfway and-"

He giggled a little, "Yeah, it does that."

You half-smiled in return, "Well, my name is (y/n), may I ask what is yours?"

"Arthur." 

Your smile turned into a grin, happy that he shared this tiny detail with you. You hoped that this would mean that your days wouldn't be so lonely. If you saw Arthur in the lobby or out and about in Gotham, you hoped it would be okay to say hello or have a chat. An inaudible shout came from his flat and he turned his head slightly to call back, "It's just the new neighbour, ma!" 

"Was I interrupting something?" You gasped, "I'm really sorry, I'll just... don't hesitate to come by and say hello, I'm literally opposite... have a good night!" 

Your cheeks reddened from embarrassment and you quickly turned on your heel to go back to your room without looking back.

Arthur didn't know how to respond, how to ask you to come back and talk to him, so he watched you until your door was fully closed before retreating back into his own flat. He seemed a little dazed, as though you were a bright light that blinded his vision and now he had to get used to the darkness again. In one swift motion, he pulled off his t-shirt once again to reveal his skinny frame and took a seat on the sofa opposite the tv, next to his mother. Her eyes, which were once glued to the box, now moved to look at her son. 

"Happy?" Penny Fleck questioned Arthur, "What did she want?" 

"She uh," He paused for a moment, "was just introducing herself. She's new."

Penny, fine with that answer, nodded quickly before averting her gaze back to the small tv. It was getting late and Arthur knew his mother would be going to bed soon, but would you be? Your face was fresh in his mind and you wouldn't leave his head. Your voice, your words, your hair, your eyes. The way you smelled, the little wave you gave him as he opened the door and that smile. That gorgeous smile. 

Arthur could see it now, playing out in front of him. His mother sound asleep in the other room.There's a knock on the door once again, and he rushes to open it, shirtless this time. You're there, with that sweet smile plastered on your face, a little gasp (followed by a tiny giggle) escaping your lips as you look at his bare chest, then back up at his face. You bite your lip and tug him out of his flat, practically dragging him into yours and then - his vision stops. What does your flat look like? He had to know. He hoped to see you again soon.

You closed and locked the door as soon as you had escaped. The whole exchange was just innocently awkward, on both yours and Arthur's parts, and yet you were still happy that you managed to feel the courage to do something that felt so foreign to you. The old you, the one who lived back in your old hometown, would never have been able to knock on a stranger's door and introduce themselves. Gotham was new and exciting, which encouraged you to become a better person.

To you, Arthur was a sweet man. A little shy, maybe? Or probably completely dumbfounded as to why you'd shown up at his door at 8.30pm. Nonetheless, you were glad to have said hello. You figured he must be about 10 years your senior, but his eyes were soft and the small giggle he made? It made your heart burst, it was like music to your ears. Never had you heard such cute laughter. 

You made your way into the living room, looking at the surrounding boxes with a hefty sigh. The sofa and television were in place, but the cardboard wall of hell that surrounded them were an eyesore and you didn't have the motivation to start fully unpacking the rest of your things. Anything important had already been taken out and put where you wanted it to go, but the rest had been put on hold for now. You had a few more days before you started your new job to sort everything, so you decided you were going to take your time to get settled. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How many journeys would it take if one woman had to carry around 20 boxes down to the ground floor? A lot.  
> But luckily, someone is here to help!

The next morning you awoke, feeling refreshed and ready to make a start on the remaining boxes that make you feel exhausted just by looking at them. Your bones clicked as you stretched after climbing out of bed to get dressed, before making your way out of the bedroom and into the main living area.

Your decision to start a new life in Gotham was very recent and this was the only avaliable apartment in the city that you could find within your price range at such short notice. It was small-ish, with a conjoined kitchen and living area, but it had a bedroom, a working bathroom and a small closet by the front door (which will definitely come in hand for storage). So, in your eyes, this was a pretty sweet deal. The building itself definitely had it's faults, but you couldn't complain. It was a roof over your head and somewhere to sleep. The walls of the room were already a nice light shade of cream, you'd seen them when you viewed the flat last week. You didn't necessarily hate or love the colour, but your decision to move was quick. You weren't fussy - after everything had been unpacked, like your pictures or your mirror, the walls would barely be noticeable anyway! 

You turned the television on for a little bit of a background noise, made a quick cup of coffee and then got straight to work. It turned out it wasn't as daunting as you originally thought it to be. This painting goes here, that ornament there - it was a piece of cake. After what seemed like barely a few hours, the small flat was suddenly bursting with life. Your eyes fluttered over to the clock, gasping at the fact that 6 whole hours had flown by. 

Unfortunately, another hour would have to be wasted. You eyed up the now flattened boxes that littered the floor by the front door, tipping your head back as you groaned. You were starving by now, but knew if you didn't do it now you'd hate yourself for making you do it tomorrow. 

There had to be at least 20 boxes there, maybe more. The mass of cardboard was menacing, almost keeping a barrier between you and the door as if it were saying 'please don't throw me away!' - this thought made you laugh to yourself, motivating you to pick up as many as you could carry for your first trip down to the ground floor bins. You left your flat to make way to the elevator doors, now realising it was impossible to hold all the boxes and push the button to call the elevator. You awkwardly stuck a finger out, trying to press it. The boxes obscured your vision slightly, which meant you couldn't quite see where you were pushing and had to look like an idiot as you dragged your finger against the grimey walls to find the button. 

There was a small laugh behind you. You already knew who it belonged to and your heart skipped a beat, happy to hear the sound. Hopefully Arthur could help you out. You turned around, grinning at him. He was still giggling slightly.

"And how long have you been standing there, Mr!" You jokingly exclaimed, "Could you please call the lift up for me, Arthur? I'm afraid I can't find the button!"

He nodded, his laughter fading into silence as he leaned over to press the button a few times. He pressed it more than once to ensure that it actually worked, the lift was so faulty that at this point it was hard to tell if it was actually working. It finally opened it's doors and Arthur stepped back a little to make sure you entered first.

"Why thank you, what a gentleman," You mused, smiling as he stepped in after you.

Arthur was still silent, but he did smile back at you. He was unsure of what to say. How could he say that he had heard your door open, and had heard how you had struggled down the corridor, just moments before and had only come out to see you? He couldn't think of much of an excuse, but he didn't want to let this precious moment go to waste. He had to say something!

"What's with all the boxes?" He asked in a childish tone, gazing at you with a light smile on his face. 

"I have finally unpacked everything!" You cheered, but then pouted, "I just have to get rid of the boxes now. I have quite a few left, I've just brought as many as I could carry..."

Arthur felt like slapping himself in the face. Of course she'd be unpacking, she had just moved in. He felt stupid at his question, but her pout was truly adorable so he replied.

"Do you need any, uh, help? I'm sure if we both bring some down it will be quicker."

"Really?!" You beamed up at him, "You are an absolute star, Arthur!"

The doors opened to show you both that you had arrived in the lobby. 

"Let me just put these in the bin real quick and then we can go and grab the rest, I won't be long!" You said cheerily, walking out of the elevator.

You stopped dead in your tracks, turning to see him waiting patiently in the same spot, watching you, "I hope this isn't ruining your plans at all?"

"No," He said quietly, "I want to help. I was only going to get some, uh, coffee."

"Okay, well how about we get this sorted then we'll both go and get coffee. Maybe even dinner? My treat, since you're being ever so kind?" You suggested, now a little bit nervous.

He just nodded, then watched as you leave to throw the rubbish away. 

Arthur was stunned at your suggestion, but extremely excited nonetheless. He waited in the lift, pressing the "open doors" button every so often just to make sure they were open when you returned. He was excited to finally see inside your flat after thinking over and over about it last night. Every time he imagined you knocking on the door, something different would happen - but your smiling face was always there waiting for him. He snapped out of his daze when your actual self quickly waltzed into the lift.

Both you and Arthur made a quick job of disposing of the rubbish, throwing it all into the recycling bin after two more journeys up and down. Small talk occurred, but you figured it would be better to talk during dinner. You really were starving, and once you had food in your belly you might be able to think of things to say instead of being awestruck by Arthur's kindness. You were truly grateful for his help today and you couldn't wait to have your first night dining out in Gotham. 

Arthur waited in your living room as you quickly got changed into something better than the sweaty leggings and jumper that you'd spent 6 hours or so lugging things about in. With new clothes and a spritz of deodorant, you felt a bit better. You would've preferred a shower but you didn't want to keep Arthur waiting. You headed back out to the living room, seeing Arthur looking around the room intensely.

You called his name and he quickly turned to look at you, spinning round on his heel so fast as though he were on rollerskates. He opened his mouth to say something, then didn't. You didn't really understand what was going on, but disregarded his sudden weirdness down to nerves.

"Shall we?" You asked, giggling as you held out your arm to him.

Arthur's reaction was comedic. He made his way over to you making a funny, overly large stepped walk. It was a theatrical display, complete with jazz hands and all. Then he slid his skinny arm through yours, hooking your arms together. It made you laugh - there was something about Arthur, something special. It seemed right. You gave him a large smile as you both set off, arm in arm.

Arthur couldn't stop smiling. Regardless of the fact that you had stopped linking arms after the elevator ride, he kept thinking about how nice it was to be touching you. He was deep in thought, thinking only of you. He glanced over at you next to him, watching your mouth move as you spoke but he couldn't hear a single word. He couldn't believe his luck. You were actually here, with him. He knew from your soft touch - wait, you were touching him. He broke himself from his trance to see you standing in front of him, your hand on his arm. He blinked rapidly, then smiled at you.

"Hello? Earth to Arthur?" You sang, smiling back.

"Sorry," He spoke softly, "I get caught up in my thoughts a lot."

"It's okay, no need to apologise," You beamed, "but going up and down those stairs every day is really going to kill me. Where abouts do we go now? Lead the way."

"Oh yeah," He scoffed, chuckling lightly, "I was supposed to be showing you the way. It's just a few roads down this way."

"Great, let's go!" You replied, following his directions.

The rest of the walk to the diner was mostly silent but it was comfortable, you were happy you weren't alone. After sitting yourselves down at a small booth in the corner, you spent a few minutes browsing the menu. The waitress arrived to take both of your orders and when she left, you took this as your opportunity to talk.

"So-" "I-"

Both you and Arthur looked at each other and laughed as you spoke at the same time. He made a small motion with his hand for you to continue. 

"So," You paused for a moment, calming down, "what do you do for work?"

"Oh! Well, I'm a stand up comedian." He admitted, looking at you with a small smile.

"Wow, that's so cool," You exclaimed, "I've never been friends with a comedian before. Tell me a joke! Anything!"

"I - uh - hold on," He breathed out, fumbling around in his coat quickly, pulling out a tatty notebook. 

He flicked through the pages, finding it hard to find something that you deserved to hear. Defeated, he placed his notebook back in his coat. What could he say? He coughed slightly before trying to act smooth, his lips curling into a small smirk.

"Why don't you just come and see me when I perform?"

"I would love to!" You squealed, "Give me a time and a place and I'll be there. Is the notebook where you write your jokes?"

"Yeah something like that," He glanced around the room quickly, wanting to change the subject, "so why did you move to Gotham? It's not the greatest of places, most people want to leave. Hah!"

"Hmmm," You tried to find the right words, "Let's just say things weren't so great at home and I needed a fresh start."

The sad smile you gave him sent his brain into overdrive and he couldn't stop what was about to happen. It started with a few light giggles - then, within a few seconds, ended up turning into full blown uncontrollable laughter. He managed to strain his neck up to look at you with sad eyes as his body shook with such fake happiness. The look of concern on your face only made him laugh more. He stuck his hand in his pocket, fishing around to find what he was looking for as quick as possible.

Finally, he handed you a small laminated card. You took it, reading:

_Forgive my laughter. I have a condition._

_MORE ON BACK_

_It's a medical condition causing sudden, frequent and uncontrollable laughter that doesn't match how you feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain neurological conditions._

_Thank you._

_KINDLY RETURN THIS CARD_

You slowly understood, even though you could see the hurt in his usually kind eyes from the start of the attack. You took his hand in yours across the table as his laughter subsided into small choking sounds. You rubbed his skin gently with your thumb, trying to be reassuring. Waiting until it was over before you spoke.

"Are you okay?"

Arthur nodded, giving you a weak smile, trying his best not to stare at your hand holding his. Your touch, again. It was driving him wild. One more strained giggle left his lips just as the food arrived. You slowly let go of his hand, preparing yourself to eat but keeping your eye on Arthur to make sure he was okay. You watched him take a large gulp of water before focusing on your food. You missed the sad look on his face when you let his hand go, mistaking it for embarrassment over his fit.

You finished your food fairly quickly, due to you being extremely hungry, but Arthur had been eating slowly - if barely anything.

You leaned over the table slightly so that only he could hear your words, "You don't have to eat if you really don't feel like it, but that burger is simply to die for. I think you should try a little."

You gave him a cheeky smile as you leaned back in your seat. He looked down at his plate, not really wanting to eat it, but picked it up anyway. After a few minuscule bites, it was dropped back onto the plate never to be touched by his mouth again. You sneakily took a look to see if he'd tried it. You were happy to see he had a bite or two, but he looked horribly uncomfortable and you knew you were at fault. It made you feel awful, so you took a deep breath to catch his attention. He looked at you.

"How about we get some coffee to go and head back?" You suggested, "It's getting late."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You bump into a certain clown in Gotham city.

With coffees held tightly in your hands to keep you both warm, you and Arthur made your way out of the diner. The chilly autumn air engulfed you as soon as you stepped out of the door, encouraging you both to get back to the apartment building as quick as humanly possible. The stairs were the biggest challenge since you were now full of food. 

The two of you finally came to stand in the hallway between your apartments, with you chatting away like there was no tomorrow. Your voice was low, not wanting to wake any of the other resident's up incase they were sleeping. Arthur didn't seem to talk much, you noticed, or maybe it was because you didn't let him get a word in edge ways. He preferred listening to you talk though, he loved your voice.

"I hate to be the one to say this, but we should both go home now," You sighed, "I need to get some food shopping done tomorrow and sort out a few more things for my flat."

"Yeah, okay." Arthur replied, sadly.

"You know if you ever need anything or just want to come and hang out, just knock!" You tried to cheer him up, "I had a really nice time tonight, Arthur and I'm really grateful for all of your help."

"I had an amazing time." He smiled at you.

You grinned in response, sticking your hand in your pocket to pull out your keys. Before you turned to put the key in the door, you quickly gave Arthur a small hug. He seemed shocked but wrapped his thin arms around you, holding you close to him and inhaling the sweet scent of your hair. It was like strawberries. You let go, but he didn't. So you wrapped your arms around him once more, to give him a longer embrace.

Arthur finally let go after an awkward few minutes. He was slightly embarrassed at his actions but in your arms he felt truly alive for the very first time. You give him a warm smile and with a quick goodbye, you left him standing there outside your door with a big grin on his face.

The next morning, you forced yourself out of bed. You had stayed up a little too late after finding yourself restless after your dinner with Arthur. Was it a date? You couldn't tell. You told yourself it only happened because he had been there to help you yesterday, but you couldn't deny that after only 2 days of knowing him that he had left an impression on you. When he hugged you back, he held you close and with such... feeling. He was warm and being in his arms almost felt like home. You still couldn't believe that you were brave enough to wrap your arms around him. Gotham was already making you crazy, or was it Arthur that was driving you insane?

Deciding to take the subway further into the city today, you dressed as modest and as comfortable as possible. It looked quite grey outside and the threat of rain almost made you undress and crawl back into bed. You threw your bag over your shoulder after sliding your coat on, then made your way out of the flat. 

Waiting for the elevator, you hoped that Arthur would come striding down the hall to ride down to the lobby with you. You assumed he would either still be in bed or maybe at work, but you still wished that maybe he would just walk up behind you again and surprise you with that sweet giggle of his. However much you prayed that he would appear, he still hadn't by the time the lift had arrived and you were left slightly disappointed. 

After a horrible 30 minute train ride into the heart of Gotham city, you left the station feeling relieved that you could finally breathe in some fresh air. The subway car smelled like rubbish mixed with the foul smell of unwashed armpits and during the whole journey you found yourself constantly on the verge of vomiting. That would definitely have made the awful smell of the carriage even worse. 

You felt like a tourist as you wandered around the city, taking in the sights. You saw things you hadn't noticed the select few times you'd visited Gotham and now that you lived here, you realised just how cheesy the city was. There were street performers on most corners, a ton of traffic clogging up the roads and lots of little independent shops which seemed to sell everything from old-fashioned clothing to a whole store dedicated to vinyl records. It was like every other city. People rushed past, oblivious to the world around them, trying to get to their destination as quick as possible.

You were walking quite slowly but it was because you were trying to find a grocery store that didn't look so... dirty? You didn't expect much from the busy city centre, but you kept your eye out for somewhere nicer to start shopping. 

You were too busy looking around that you didn't notice the figure in front of you, almost slamming into his bright yellow sign. Attached to the sign was a clown, who was joyfully spinning and twirling it around in the air with a big grin on his face. It made you smile - so you stepped back a little to watch. You glanced to the side quickly to see what store he was advertising. It wasn't anything special and you did really wang to get a move on with your food shopping so you could go home and have some lunch. 

Your gaze turned back to the clown who was staring directly at you. You felt like you recognised him, but it was hard to tell - wait, Arthur? You'd recognise those eyes anywhere.

You narrowed your eyes slightly with a small smirk on your face, "Arthur, is that you?"

He grinned at you, giving you a small bow, "My clown name is Carnival."

"I love it!" You gushed, grinning, "I didn't know you were a clown performer too!"

Unfortunately, Arthur didn't get to reply as a group of young teens barged in between you both, blocking most of him from your view. They were laughing quickly, before making a run for it. You noticed one now held Arthur's sign as they had snatched it from his grip. Arthur seemed to waste no time running along after them. Disgusted with their behaviour, you followed as fast as you could manage although the boys and Arthur were much quicker than you. 

They all turned into an alleyway up ahead and you sped up as best you could but your chest was stinging as you breathed heavily. You turned into the alley just as the boys began to kick a helpless Arthur, who was lying on the ground unable to stop the beating.

"HEY!" You screamed out, "STOP!"

The minute they heard your voice they quickly made their escape. You rushed over to Arthur's side, crouching down beside him. He held his head in his hands and remained in that position for what seemed like forever. You felt such strong hatred for the boys who did this to him, as well as sympathy for poor Arthur who was lying on the dirty ground hurt and confused. He didn't deserve this.

"Arthur," You whispered, "are you okay?"

"What does it look like?" He choked out, quietly.

"I'm sorry..." You mumbled, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

You couldn't even to begin to think about how much pain he must be in right now. You couldn't bring yourself to touch him as you weren't one hundred percent sure where he was hurting. Although you assumed he was probably hurting everywhere, the boys were relentless with their kicks. It made you feel sick

You fell onto your knees, unable to crouch anymore, as you waited for some kind of movement from him. He slowly turned over then stopped when he saw you were still there. He didn't know why but he thought you might've left. You gave him the kindest smile you could manage right now as you looked at his smudged make up and dirt covered suit. Shopping could wait another day - you needed to get Arthur home.

"Come on," You spoke gently, "let's get you home. I'll make some coffee and get you cleaned up."

Arthur didn't respond, but he did push himself up from the floor. He attempted to dust himself but to no avail, some of the marks were going to be very hard to remove. You noticed that he winced slightly during each dusting movement and you made a mental note that his arms or shoulders seemed to be in pain. 

You held your hand out to him and he just looked at you. You sighed and carefully took his hand in yours, intertwining your fingers, and dragged him out onto the street.

He followed you like a lost puppy as you guided him to the station. It was buzzing with people but you held onto Arthur's hand as tightly as you could without hurting him. You pulled him through the crowds, going this way and that, until you managed to get onto a carriage that had spare seats. You sat him down, letting go of his hand finally to sit next to him. 

"Those fucking kids!" You suddenly growled, breaking the silence, "I don't usually swear but I wish I could punch them right in their little bastard faces. Assholes, the lot of them!"

Arthur hummed in agreement, looking down at the floor as you rambled on and on about how much you despised his attackers. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as laughter bubbled up in his throat. You placed a comforting hand on his arm which only made him open his mouth to let out a long round of manic laughter. It was loud and people started to stare or move away, but you stayed right in your seat trying to comfort him.He looked at you with those sad eyes of his and all you could think to do was rub his arm as support. 

The fit continued intermittently as you got off the train, and then all the way back to the block of flats you both lived in. His laughter wasn't as loud anymore, but he was still chuckling away to himself no matter how hard he tried to stop it.

Arthur stood outside his door, but you stood in the way before his key could make it to the lock. You pointed over to your door.

"No if's, no buts," You announced, "you're coming over."

Arthur didn't even try to argue, he just followed you straight over to the door and made his way into the apartment right behind you. You led him to the couch and made sure he was comfortable before sliding into the kitchen to heat up some water. Luckily you'd brought coffee with you during the move as you still had some left in your jar, but you had no milk. You hoped he didn't mind black coffee. In this state, he probably didn't care anyway - you knew you would be the same if it were you.

As the water was boiling you looked over at Arthur. He had taken off his wig and jacket and was running his hands through his hair. His right leg was bouncing rapidly as he sat there. You moved as quick as you could, pouring water into each mug and walking over to sit next to him. You set the coffees down next to you on the small side table to cool down.

"Could - could I have a hug?"

The words were barely audible but they definitely shocked you. He was so shy and quiet, yet here he was asking for your comfort. Not that you minded, happily wrapping your arms around him. You were extra careful about how tight you held him, especially around his shoulder area. He didn't seem to care, however, as he threw his arms around you in return. He nuzzled his face into your neck and he stayed there for quite a while. You rubbed his back, not surprised to feel his protruding spine. He was so very skinny. 

"Thank you." He said without moving from his position, his hot breath hitting your skin.

"No need to thank me, Arthur," You admitted, "I'm just glad you're alright. I wish I could've stopped them."

"I wouldn't have wanted you to have gotten hurt too," He sighed, "I'm glad it was just me."

"It shouldn't have been you." You mumbled, dragging your hand up to the back of his head to stroke his hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am still so sad when i watch the movie and he gets jumped in the alley, hopefully some cuddling will make him feel a teeny bit better


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so sorry for such a late update!

Time seemed to slow down suddenly for Arthur as he sat in your arms. Your hand, that was once calmly playing with his brown locks, suddenly took a fistful of his hair, trapping it in your grip as you pulled his head up from the crook of your neck. Now face to face, he watched with wide eyes as you edged closer to him. It wasn't long before your lips were pressed against his, kissing him with such force and hunger. His eyelids soon fluttered closed as he took over, harshly pushing you so your back was now against the sofa cushions. But when he opened his eyes, he came face to face with your neck once again, his cheek against your shoulder. 

Arthur's body froze. He could feel you shift uncomfortably as all his weight landed on you. Even though Arthur was so skinny, he was still another 120 pound body on top of yours. You weren't exactly very strong and he was sort of pushing you backwards due to the awkward angle you had started the hug in, so your back felt strained. You gently tugged at the material of his waistcoat, bringing him back down to earth as he quickly moved to sit next to you normally. You were slightly confused at his blank facial expression, watching as he blinked slowly, loudly exhaling as his eyelids slowly opened once again.

There was no way that kiss wasn't real. Arthur couldn't believe it. He couldn't have imagined how soft your lips were, or the way you had tugged on his hair in such a dominating way. Arthur wanted to groan in pleasure as he relived the moment in his mind, not paying attention to the fact that you were just watching him, completely bewildered as to what was going on.

Then, his eyes locked onto yours. His eyes were dark and he kept them trained on you. You wanted to say something, but without a single hesitation, Arthur had brought his hand up to cup the side of your face. He laughed quietly to himself, knowing this was definitely real. You opened your mouth to speak when he leaned forward quickly, his lips closing in on yours, sealing them together with a kiss. 

It was awkward. His lips were un-moving, motionless against yours for a moment too long. It was like one long peck, no movement or passion - until something seemed to possess Arthur. His lips moved away from yours for only a second before crashing against yours once again, only this time his lips were moving, locking with yours in such a fluid and passionate way. You kissed him back - obviously - but was shocked at his new found confidence. It even almost felt like it connected you both, it felt right. 

Only, it didn't last too long. Arthur seemed to revert back to himself after he pulled away to breathe. He stood up rather abruptly, before stuttering out an apology, grabbing his jacket and fleeing. He closed your door carefully, but you heard the loud slam of his door as he made his escape back to his apartment. Your gaze shifted from the door that Arthur had just left through, back to the space next to you on the sofa that his body had recently occupied. You even brought your fingers to your lips, tracing the soft skin that felt tingly at the touch.

You felt unhappy in that moment. Unhappy that he had left you without so much of a second thought. You had kissed him back because you wanted to, so why did he still run? You put it down to his strange condition, head trauma can only come along hand in hand with some other health issues that he might be embarrassed about. Or maybe he was feeling insecure, riddled with anxiety and fear of his surprising actions. Either way, you still couldn't help feeling sad.

Trying not to think about today's wild events too much, you discarded the now cold coffees into the sink, watching the dark brown liquid create a puddle at the bottom of the bowl before it disappeared down the plug hole. With a deep sigh, you picked up your coat and bag once more and left to finish what you had set out to do earlier. You didn't think you could leave it for another day, plus it was only the afternoon so you had lots of time left to get to and from the city. 

You slammed the door without even realising, thinking about the loud noise as you walked the familiar path to the elevator. For the second time today, you were thinking about Arthur. It was like dèja vú, although you weren't hoping he would come out and see you this time. You did, however, hope he heard your door slam. It was an innocent action that didn't truly mean anything, but you found yourself thinking that if he had heard it, he might know how frustrated and upset you feel. 

Making your way through Gotham's trash ridden streets for the second time today, you couldn't help but feel distracted. It wasn't like earlier, where you took everything in with excitement - now you were one of the many boring souls who stormed through the city. You didn't realise that Arthur could have such an impact on you, but what did you expect? The man had just kissed you and fled. If anyone else had ever experienced the same thing, their brains were surely just as addled as yours at the strange situation. You had even wondered whether or not you had just imagined the whole thing, but that was only because you were trying so hard to push the memory to the back of your mind. It was definitely real. You just wanted to concentrate on your shopping and go home. 

You zoomed straight into the nearest supermarket chain, grabbing a basket from by the door before making your way through the maze of aisles. Focusing on adding up prices and deciding on what brands to choose took up most of your brain power, relieving your mind from the barrage of thoughts swirling around in your head. You finally pick up all the things you need for the rest of the week, knowing that if you missed anything you could always pop by at any point to grab a few bits here and there.

With two large paper bags clutched to your chest and a few items in your shoulder bag, you made your way home trying hard to juggle everything in your arms. You had glanced at the clock in the shop before you left, noticing that it was now approaching 5pm. Winter was just around the corner and the sun was beginning to go down, ready to plunge the city into darkness in a few hours time. You walked as fast as your legs could take you, catching the train back and groaning as you had to make your way up the long set of stairs to your building.

Luckily you didn't drop anything, but there was a slight risk you could've when the elevator doors opened and you spotted Arthur down the hallway. He was pacing outside your front door, seemingly distressed as he couldn't decide whether to knock or not. You made it easy for him to decide by greeting him kindly.

"Hey Arthur," You spoke gently, "were you waiting for me to answer? I'm sorry, I just popped out."

Arthur just nodded, quickly holding his hands out so you could pass him one of your bags. You did so, thankful for the help, fishing around in your coat pocket to pull out your keys. 

"Did you want to come in?" You asked, letting yourself into the apartment and waiting for him to follow.

All he could do was nod in response to your questions, walking in and placing the bag you had given him onto the kitchen worktop carefully. He quickly left the kitchen, choosing to sit on the sofa in the exact same spot he had been in earlier. He watched you for a few minutes as you put your shopping away in it's respective places, soon looking away. His hand had been tracing the place you had sat previously, feeling the soft material of the sofa cushions. You dared yourself to glance at him but you busied yourself with your task - but it eventually came to an end. Everything had been put away.

Once you finished, you leaned against the wall that divided the kitchen and the living area. Your arms were crossed against your chest and you watched as Arthur slowly turned to look at you.

"Why did you leave?" You questioned.

Arthur, unable to deal with your confrontation, could only give you a large smile. You could tell from his sad eyes that your question had unsettled him. Not wanting to cause one of his poor fits, you sighed and made your way to sit next to him.

You switched on the tv by the remote, "Let's just chill for a little, then we can talk."

Arthur seemed genuinely happy at this suggestion and he trained his eyes on the tv screen as it came to life. It almost seemed like fate that you had switched it on at that specific time as the Murray Franklin show opening theme began to play. A genuine smile crept onto his face as he leaned back to get comfortable, excited to watch his idol.

You smile lightly at his happiness, "You like this show?"

"Uh huh," He grins, his eyes not leaving the tv, "I watch it every time it's on. One day I'll be there. In the audience, you know?"

"Or maybe you'll be there to perform?" 

"Yeah, maybe." His tone sounded uneasy but his eyes twinkled from excitement at your words.

The intro ends and you both watch the comedy show, Arthur paying more attention than you. He is completely fixated on the screen, which doesn't bother you. You did notice, however, that he had a tendency to laugh at things with no punchline. Or he laughed before the punchline even came. You were just happy to see him enjoying himself. 

After roughly 45 minutes, the show comes to an end and a few adverts start to play before the next programme was due to start. There was an uncomfortable silence hanging between you both, the voice of the man advertising toothpaste on the tv seemed far away even though the speakers were only a few metres away. You soon heard a few intakes of breath and you turned to look at Arthur.

"You were my first kiss." He blurted out, his cheeks becoming as red as a tomato.

You were quite shocked at his statement, but quickly replied, "Wow, really?"

"Yeah," He furrowed his brows as he looked at you, "why are you so shocked?"

"Arthur!" You tried to lighten the situation, "I mean, you're kind, understanding..."

It was your turn to blush as you added, "and rather handsome."

Arthur giggled, but he wasn't uncomfortable at your compliment. He too was in shock. He tried hard to think of something to say, but he was so astonished that you had said such nice things about him. He couldn't help it when words started to spill from his mouth.

"You're really pretty." 

It was your turn to laugh, "is that it?"

"N-no!" He replied as fast as lightning, "You-"

"I was joking, Arthur," You smiled, "I'm honoured that you think I'm pretty."

All Arthur could do was smile back at you. A stupidly big cheesy smile which made your heart beat just a little bit faster. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have one day until you start your new job, so you spend the day at home. A noise comes from Arthur's flat and you race over to see what's wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow? consecutive updates? i honestly have no idea which direction this fic is going in so pls bare with tyvm

Arthur left your apartment soon after, amazed at how well the evening turned out to be. His back and shoulder were still in quite a lot of pain but he barely noticed it at the moment. He entered his apartment, feeling as though he were walking on clouds. His mind was completely elsewhere, not focusing on his surroundings. His mother had already gone to bed though, that was the only thing he truly noticed. Her absence from the living room meant that he could finally be alone. 

Standing in the centre of the room, ignoring the coffee table inches away from his shins and the sofa right behind him, he started to sway. Side to side, ever so slowly. Arthur looked up the ceiling with a tiny smile, closing his eyes before letting his body fall back. The soft cushions caught him and he soon opened his eyes. It was going to be another long sleepless night, but he had you on his mind. And that's all that mattered.

Arthur had finally dozed off at 4am for a quick power nap but it was rudely disrupted 2 hours later when his mother shuffled into the room. 

"Morning Happy." Penny sighed, slowly bending to sit in her favourite armchair.

"Morning Ma." Arthur grumbled back, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "I'll make your breakfast and then I've got to get to work." 

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" She frowned, "You're getting awfully skinny." 

Arthur didn't reply as he made his way to the kitchen, his body feeling tired as his feet shuffled across the floor. There was a quiet knock on the door which stopped Arthur in his tracks. He looked back at his mother who hadn't noticed, then back at the door. He moved towards it, looking through the peep hole. What he saw made his fingers fumble against the chain in excitement, his actions clumsy as he tried to unlock it as quick as possible.

You could hear the clanging of chain against wood and suddenly the door was pulled open a little way. You came face to face with Arthur who was sporting a small smile. You shook the tupperware box in your hands, bringing it up to his eye level. 

"I couldn't sleep last night so I made cookies," You spoke, nervously, "Quite a lot, actually. So I thought you and Penny might want to try some."

"How do you know my mother's name?" Arthur asked, confused.

"Oh well, I went down to get my mail this morning and saw the name on the locker next to mine. I remember you said ma the other day when I first moved so I-" You stopped your rambling with a shy smile, "sorry, here." 

"Is that the new neighbour again?" Penny called out.

Before Arthur could answer, you blurted out, "Yes, and I've made you and Arthur some cookies!" 

Arthur opened the door a little bit more so that his mother and you could see each other. She beckoned you in with a small hand gesture, but you looked at Arthur for his approval first. You hadn't come to intrude, but Arthur just seemed to smile at you so you stepped into the flat. He closed the door behind you and continued into the kitchen as you slowly made your way over to where his mother was sitting. Your emotions were all over the place, you were nervous yet confident at the same time. It was a hard feeling to process as you felt like you should leave but you were curious to meet Penny. The sound of the fridge opening and closing coaxed you into talking first. It was too silent and you always spoke a lot when you were nervous.

"Hi Penny, it's nice to meet you," You smiled at her, "I live just opposite you both."

"Happy's just about to go to work," Penny began, "make him take some of your cookies to work. He needs to eat."

Arthur exited the kitchen at that moment, gently handing his mother a bowl of sloppy looking porridge. He seemed annoyed at her statement but kept his calm by laughing softly and shaking his head. 

"If I put them here you can both snack on them throughout the day?" You suggested, popping the box down on the coffee table.

"Thank you." Arthur smiled, his eyes boring into yours. 

"I'll let you eat your breakfast Penny, and let Arthur get ready for work," You announced, placing your hands behind your back and rocking slightly, "If you need anything today, I'm at home. I don't start work until tomorrow, don't hesitate to knock."

"Yes, thank you dear." Penny smiled, her eyes wrinkling more as her cheeks rose. 

You made your way to the door, Arthur following you. You opened it and stopped to look at him for a moment.

"I hope you have a good day today." You gave him a sympathetic smile.

He nodded and bid you goodbye, closing the door behind you to instantly turn around on his heels and make his way to the bathroom. His mother stopped him before he could make it inside.

"She's nice, very pretty," Penny encouraged, "why don't you ask her out to dinner or something, Happy?"

Arthur just chuckled and shrugged, entering the bathroom and thinking about the last two days events. His mother didn't even know any of it. 

You sighed when you stepped back into your own home. The decision to stay indoors all day was great yet boring - you already had no idea what you were going to do all day. You had spent almost the whole night baking and hadn't cleaned up a single bowl or oven tray. You decided you should probably make something quick to eat and then get started on the washing up.

It felt like forever had passed but the sky finally started to darken as you glanced out of the window. You could see a few people walking on the street below, probably on their way home from work. That would be you tomorrow. To say you were happy about it would be lying - you were completely overjoyed. The idea of being busy and being able to meet new people excited you, you couldn't wait to get started. Gotham City Library was your new place of work and you already had such high hopes from the moment you walked into your interview just under a month ago. You were praying to get the job, because you could only move if you could get work. You were lucky. Only one night's sleep and you could get started.

You were slowly dozing off on the sofa after you spent most of the day watching mind-numbing drama shows, when a loud bang sounded through your ears. You sat up immediately. The noise felt too close to home. You reacted quickly, rushing to the door and ripping it open, looking up and down the hallway. Nobody seemed to be looking to find the cause - were loud gunshot type noises really that common around here? 

You could hear loud music and talking coming from Arthur's apartment so you made your way over to the door, pressing your ear against it. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, they just seemed to be watching something on tv at a high volume. You knocked either way, just to be sure Arthur and his mother were okay. Also because you wanted to put your own mind at ease, to keep yourself safe. 

The music was turned down a considerable amount and you could hear Arthur's feet shuffling across the floor. He opened the door wide. He was shirtless and for the first time you could truly see how skinny he was. It shocked you but you made an effort not to stare, looking up into his eyes.

"Did you hear that bang? I think it was a gun or, or-"

Arthur quickly grabbed you by the arm and pulled you into the flat, pressing his finger against his lips to tell you to keep quiet after he had pushed the door closed softly. He then used the same finger to point towards the bedroom and you nodded to show that you understood. He took you over to the sofa, finally letting you go to sit down. You sat next to him, your eyes travelling over to the gun sitting on the table in front of you. You weren't sure how comfortable you felt being only an arms width away from it, but you stayed in your seat.

"Was it you?" You whispered to Arthur.

He squeezed his eyes shut, "Uh-huh."

His eyes opened in a flash, looking at you, "But it was an accident. I swear. I'm sorry." 

"It's okay, where did you get it?" You asked in a soothing tone.

"A friend at work. He said I needed to protect myself." 

Your eyebrows furrowed slightly, showing Arthur your concern. He reacted by picking up the carton of cigarettes that lay next to him, pulling one out to put between his lips. You watched as he lit it, taking a long drag. You put your hand on his arm in a small act of comfort. 

"I didn't know you smoked?" You spoke, your voice raising at the end as though it was a question.

"You don't know me very well." He replied as he exhaled, letting the smoke create a cloud in front of him. 

"Okay..." You were trying to distract the both of you from the gunshot, since Arthur also seemed quite distressed at whatever had happened, "well, why don't you tell me something about yourself? I know you're a clown, and a comedian, and that you really like that man on tv-"

"Murray Franklin." He interjected.

"- Yes, him, but what else do you like?"

Arthur seemed to be in deep thought as he sat there, puffing away on his cigarette.

"I like dancing."

"Great! Me too!" You gave him a smile, "Why don't we dance now?"

You stood up, eager to get both you and him as far away from the gun as possible. There was only a little space between the sofa and the kitchen wall, but it was enough for the two of you. He placed the butt of his fag into the ashtray, seemingly hesitant to join you. 

"Come on," You encouraged, "pretend there's a song playing in your head and get lost in it."

You swayed around, doing a little twirl every now and then. Arthur enjoyed watching you, a small smile creeping onto his face. He shook his head, giggling as you pretended to throw a rope around him, miming the action of pulling him up so that he could come and dance with you. 

He finally stood, but his eyes dropped to the gun. You stopped, it was now your turn to watch him. Arthur suddenly smiled, then turned his head sharply to look at you. After two large steps he was directly in front of you. You glanced up at him, nervously. His hand touched your arm, slowly rising. His cold hands against your skin made you gasp a little, his fingers dancing all the way up to your shoulder, then to your neck. In a flash he pulled you closer to him, his hand now on the back of your head. He tilted your head back ever so slightly, leaning down himself, to capture your lips in a small kiss. 

"What are you doing to me?" You whispered, as your arms wrapped around his neck to keep him close as you initiated another kiss.

A proper one this time.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first day at work. Arthur follows you on his day off to find out what you're up to.

You awoke the next morning, the smell of stale cigarettes filling your nose and with a slight weight on your legs. You looked down with tired eyes to see Arthur's head using your thighs as a pillow as he laid across the sofa. You leaned your head back in defeat, not wanting to wake Arthur from his well deserved rest. He had gone through Hell and back these past few days, only God knows what he had gone through before you'd arrived here.

Your eyes threatened to close all the way, your brain ready to send you back to sleep, until your head snapped upwards. You glanced towards the clock up on the wall, grimacing at the time. It was 5.30 in the morning and you had to start work at 9. You should really leave to get ready, you didn't want to be late on your first day and you wanted to make a good impression. You hadn't even planned your outfit yet, what if there was a shirt you needed to iron, or a crease in a dress that made you look shabby? You couldn't sit here for much longer.

Slapping a smile on your face, you gently shook Arthur until his eyes opened slowly. His eyes soon widened in shock to see your soft smiling face beaming down at him. You looked like an angel to him in that moment. He recalled the events of last night, remembering the sweet kisses and the feel of your tongue against his as you unknowingly taught him how to french kiss. It was all completely innocent, with you stroking Arthur's hair until you both fell asleep - but he still felt a little embarrassed. 

"Hey sleepy head," You cooed, "I need to go. I've got my first day of work today." 

"Oh yeah." He mumbled, sitting up swiftly so you could stand.

"You may want to hide that before your mum comes out of the room," You suggested, looking over at the gun, "if she's anything like my mum, she'll be up soon. Early birds."

Last night, you had covered the weapon with one of Arthur's mother's writing pads that had been left on top of the coffee table, in hopes that it would keep you from staring at it. It worked, but you still knew it was there. A lot of people had guns for protection, it's not as though they were illegal, but there was something about Arthur that was too childish and silly for him to need one. He was definitely a victim of some horrible things, but a firearm won't solve the problem. It usually only makes it worse. 

You gave Arthur a small wave of goodbye as you left the flat to enter your own. You closed the door, leaning against it for a few minutes as you thought about last night. He had said it was an accident, only showing you the hole in the wall later on in the night. You remember feeling relieved that nobody was hurt but still concerned about how Arthur would deal with having a gun. You didn't really know how to handle one and you were definitely sure Arthur didn't either, which probably resulted in the accidental shot he made to his living room wall. You also couldn't believe that you had stayed there all night - not to mention the fact that you had kissed again! You sighed to yourself before forcing yourself to the bathroom to have a shower.

Dressing in what you deemed appropriate and professional for a library setting, you added light make up to your face and then grabbed your coat. You were ready with an hour and a half to spare so you made yourself some breakfast, sipping at some coffee as you watched the news for half an hour. Thomas Wayne seemed to be the talk of the town at the moment, he was the big rich man who everyone either loved or hated. He had announced he was running for mayor which didn't seem to surprise you as the rich always seemed to think they were entitled to such powerful jobs. You grew bored of his constant chatter about Gotham and switched off the tv, throwing your dishes and cutlery in the sink for you to wash up when you get back from work tonight. 

And with that, you left your apartment to make the journey to Gotham's main library. What you didn't know was that Arthur was following you from a distance. His new gun was tucked into his trousers, concealed by his shirt and coat. He couldn't leave it at home as there was a risk his mother could find it, but he also wanted it with him at all times to feel safe. 

It was Arthur's day off and he had wanted to spend the day with you, but unfortunately you had to go to work. He had a session with the mental health team in the early afternoon so he decided that he would make sure you get to work and then wander off to therapy. There was still a few good hours left until he had to be there, so when he saw you walk into the large old building he couldn't help but actually go inside a few minutes after you. 

Arthur very rarely stepped foot inside the city's library. Books covered every shelf, their colourful spines inviting him in. He almost became distracted but quickly turned to see you disappear into the staff area. He couldn't follow you in there, so he decided to sit as far away as possible but somewhere with full view of the main desk. He grabbed a book on his short walk to the table, sitting down and opening it half way to look busy. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he looked around fearfully.

"Could you take down your hood please, sir," An older lady whispeted to him, "we don't allow it in the building."

Arthur nodded sheepishly, yanking it off. His eyes wandered back over to the desk and in the few seconds he had been looking away you had returned. With a man. A rather handsome man. Arthur couldn't help the jealousy bubbling up inside him as he watched you nod and smile at this man's every word. He was a member of the library staff, Arthur remembered him from a previous visit and his lanyard was also visible. It was inevitable that you'd meet new people but Arthur wanted to keep you to himself. You'd noticed him, kissed him and wanted to spend time with him. He was suddenly angry at himself for being so jealous, but he couldn't feel happy for you at your new job. Not whilst he knew you were working with another man that could potentially steal you away from him.

Unable to watch any longer, Arthur pulled his hood back up and stormed out of the library. He made his way to therapy with a frown on his face. Once he got into the room, the therapist asked him the usual.

"How are you feeling today, Arthur?"

And all he could do was laugh.

Your first day at work was tiring, especially after the lazy day you'd had the day before. So when you got home, you were excited to run a hot bath after a quick dinner. You'd just stepped into the warm bubbly water when there was a knock on the door. You knocked your head back and silently screamed in annoyance, but stepped back out of the bath and wrapped a towel around yourself. You put on your dressing gown and slippers for an added layer before opening the door.

Arthur pushed the door open as you opened it, sliding past you to stand in your apartment. You closed the door and turned around, confused.

"Arthur, I was just about to have a bath. What are you doing?"

All Arthur could do was break out into a fit of laughter, except he had tears streaming down his face out of embarrassment and sadness. You stood there dumbfounded at his random outburst, quickly rushing over to try and calm him down. Sitting him down on the sofa, the familiar events of the last few days flooded your brain. Arthur was a broken man and there wasn't much you could do but try and ease his pain.

"Let me drain the water and put on some clothes," You spoke gently, "let's just take some time to chill."

He nodded as the last few giggles left his mouth until he choked and sobbed. You made your way into the bathroom, getting dressed into your pyjamas and watching sadly as the water slowly disappeared. You re-entered the living room to see Arthur had leaned his back against the sofa cushions with his eyes closed. You sat next to him and he opened one eye to look at you. You smiled at him. He sat up properly and faced you. 

"I..." Arthur began, unable to finish his sentence.

"You what?" You giggled at him. 

"I went to therapy today..." He managed to get out, studying you for your reaction, and when you nodded curiously, he continued, "and she told me that I should tell you how I feel." 

"How you feel about what? Me?" You smiled softly, "I'd love to know. I already know you think I'm pretty."

"You drive me crazy." Arthur admitted. 

"That's funny, because you do the same to me." You replied with a grin. 

Arthur was the happiest he'd ever been. He forgot about his jealousy from when he had stalked you at work and he focused on you. He lent forward confidently and pressed his lips against your cheek. And when you rolled your eyes and kissed his lips, he could've sworn he went to Heaven. 

Arthur just hoped you'd never find out that he'd followed you today. He had actually come in to confess, almost scared that you'd noticed him and hated him already but when he saw your confusion and concern he was relieved. You would never know. But he did get one good thing out of it. He finally realised that you liked him just as much as he liked you and that was all that really mattered.


End file.
